Photographic camera



Jan. 19, 1943. L. G. RANFT ETAL 2,308,934

PHOTOGRAPHIES CAMERA Filed Aug. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 19, 1943. L. G. RANFT x-:TAL 2,308,934

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA 4 I Filed Aug. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney s Jan. 19, 1943. v s.. G. RANFT ETAL. PHoToGRAfHIc @AMERA- Filed Aug. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Shea?1 3 In ven Ifo/'3 Y za'r Attorneys Jan. 191, 1943. G, RANFT ETAL 2,308,934

PHOTOGHAPHIC CAMERA l Filed Aug. 2, 1959 Sheets-#Sheet 4 ,ffy/7 @MA/VMM( zezbr Attorney Jan. 19, 1943. L Q RANFT ET AL 2,308,934

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA Filed Aug. 2, 1959 5 sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNI-TED STATESd PATENT. OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA Ludwig G. Rant, Munich-Solln, and Franz Stmmer, Munich,y Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application August 2, 1939, Serial No. 288,014 In Germany August 5, 1938 13 Claims. (C1. S35-31) winding the film, a second accessible and manually operable member for setting the shutter (as distinguished from those cameras in which the lm is wound and the shutter is set by operation of a single member), and a third accessible and manually operable member for tripping or releasing the shutter to make an exposure.

An object of the invention is the provision, in a camera of the above dened type, of interlocking means requiring that the lm winding member and the shutter setting member be operated in arpredetermined order or sequence, and locking the shutter release or tripping member against a tripping actuation until both the 111m winding member and the shutter setting member have been properly actuated, and locking the lm winding member, when once it has been actuated, against a second operation until the shutter'has again been tripped to make a new exposure. The provision of such means prevents wastage of lm either by making a double exposure, or by feeding the film twice after one exposure, so that an unexposed section of film isA fed through the camera.

Another object of thel invention is the provision of. a camera. of the above defined type. in which either the film feeding member or the shutter setting member is locked against actuation, vfollowing the making of an exposure, until the other has rst been actuated, and in which the shutter release is locked against full actuation until the y second of the aforementioned two members has been actuated.

` Another object is the provision, in a camera of this type, of means controlled by the film winding member for locking the shutter setting member to hold it against setting movement" after an exposure has been made, until the lm winding member has rst been operated, together with means for locking the shutter release member against full actuation until the shutter has been set.

shutter setting member controlled by` the film More particularly, vthe Winding memberand operating partly through the instrumentality of the shutterrelease mechanism.

A further object is the provision, in a camera of this type, of locking means for the film winding member which is at least partly dependent upon and controlled by the position of the shutter setting member.

A still further object is the provision of a camera of this type in which` the position of the shutter setting member controls the locking and vunlocking of the film winding member, and in which such locking .or unlocking is accomplished in part through the medium of the shutter release mechanism.

A still further object is the provision of mechansm having the desirable interlocking features above outlined, whichis simple to operate, and

' relatively inexpensive.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the speciiication.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a plan view, somewhat schematic, of

` a camera constructed in accordance withv the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of the camera with certain lparts omitted for clarity and with other partsin vertical section, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, with the parts in the rest position at the conclusion of an exposure:

Fig. 3 is a planof part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, in thesame position;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for tripping the shutter from a' release member' on the camera casing:

Figs. 5 and 6 are views right angles to the direction of Fig. 5

Fig. 8 is a view similar to a fragment of Figs.'

2 and 5, with the shutter setting member moved to its set or tensioned position;

Figs. 9 'and 10 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3. respectively, with the shutter in the act of bei ing released to make an exposure; y

Fig'. 11 is a plan of the pawl and toothed disk similar to Figs. 2 and Il,v respectively, with the parts in the position asshown in Figs. 3, 6, and in a still different position;

Fig. 12 is a front view of a portion of the camera, with certain parts omitted and with other parts in vertical section, illustrating a different embodiment of the invention and showing the parts in the position assumed when the nlm has been fed following one exposure but with the shutter not yet set or tensioned ready for the next exposure;

Fig. 13 is a plan of certain parts shown in Fig. 12, in the same position;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 12, with the shutter set or tensioned ready for making the next exposure;

Figs. 1 5 and 16 are views similar to Figs. 12 and 13, respectively, with the shutter in the act of being released for making an exposure;

Figs. 17 and 18 are views similar to Figs. 12 and 13, respectively, showing the parts in the position assumed at the completion of an exposure;

Fig. 19 is a plan similar to Figs. 13, 16, and 18 with the parts in a still different position;

Fig, 20 is a front elevation of a portion of the camera, with certain parts omitted and with other parts in vertical section, illustrating still another embodiment of the present invention, with the parts in the position assumed at the completion of an exposure;

Fig. 21 is a plan of certain parts shown in Fig. 20, in the same position;

Figs. 22 and 23 are views similar to Figs. 20 and 21, respectively, with the shutter set or tensioned ready for the next exposure but with the film not yet fed to its new position, and

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Figs. 21 and 23, with the parts in the position assumed after the winding of the film has taken place so that the camera is now completely ready for the next exposure.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The camera and its shutter, except for the interlocking parts Lparticularly described below, may be of any conventional or known construction, the details of which are unimportant so far as the present invention is concerned, and need not be described further than to say that the camera casing is indicated in general at 3| (Fig. 1) and is provided with the usual film supply roll 33, and film Iwinding roll 35, the latter being manually turned in the direction of the arrow by an accessible knob 31. The film, when properly threaded through the camera, extends from the supply roll to the winding roll as indicated at 39. An image window 4| defines the exposure area of the film. A metering roll 43 is provided with teeth 45 engaging in perforations in the fllm 33 so that the roll 43 must turn with the movement of the film when the knob 31 is turned, and the feeding knob cannot be turned if the metering roll 45 is held against movement. This metering roll, in the manner further described below, allows a definite predetermined length of film to be fed forwardly at each cycle of operation, and thus serves to space the. images oi successive exposures at the proper distance from each other.

The shutter is of the objective type and is enclosed within a casing 5|, the camera lens 53 being mounted on the shutter casing- Except for the differences described below, the shutter may be of any known form, such, for example, as the form of shutter disclosed in United States Patent 1,687,123, granted October 9, 1928, for an invention of Deckel and Geiger. For instance, the shutter may include blades 51 (Fig. 2) corresponding to the shutter blades I2 of said Deckel and Geiger patent, and a master member l! corresponding to the master member 5 of the Deckel` and Geiger patent, and mounted for oscillation around the annular wall 6 The master member 59 is provided with an extension 63 passing through a slot in the shutter casing 5| to an accessible external position, and this extension constitutes a manually operable setting or tensioning member. When the setting member I3 is moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2, the master member 5S is oscillated in a clockwise direction, tensioning the motor spring 65 (corresponding to the motor spring l of the Deckel and Geiger patent) and at the completion of the clockwise setting movement, the master member is latched in set or tensioned position by engagement of the shoulder or tooth 61 on the master member with a hooked end of the latch I9, as shown in Fig. 8, which latch is pivoted in the shutter casing at 1| and corresponds in general to the latch of said Deckel and Geiger patent. When this latch 69 is moved in a clockwise direction to release the shoulder or tooth 61, the master member 59 moves back in 'a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 2, opening and closing the shutter blades 51 during such counterclockwise movement in the manner fully described in said Deckel and Geiger patent and well known in the art.

In order to release or trip the shutter (to make an exposure) directly from a convenient position on the top of the camera casing 3|, instead of having to reach around to the front of the camera to a point adjacent the shutter casing 5|, there is provided a trip member in the form ofa vertical rod 15 (Figs. 2 and 4) mounted in the shutter casing and extending out through the top thereof and having an accessible enlargement or knob 11 which may be depressed to move the rod downwardly against the action of a light spring 19 (Fig. 2) which constantly tends to move the rod upwardly. Another rod 8| is mounted for upward and downward reciprocation in a guide I3 secured to the shutter casing 5|, which guide prevents lateral deflection of the rod and keeps it properly alined in position to cooperate with a release lever mounted in the shutter casing, as

described later. The rod 15 is operatively connected to the rod 8| in such manner that depression of the former causes depression of the latter, through any suitable connecting means or linkage such as the lever system shown in Fig. 4,

in which a lever 85, pivoted in the camera casing at 31, has one end engaging in a notch or recess in the rod 15 to be moved thereby and at its other end has a notch receiving a pin 89 on one end oi' the second lever 9| mounted on a pivot 93, the i opposite end of the lever 9| engaging in a notch orrecessintherodi.

The parts thus far described, except for some slight difference in the action of the spring 19 as will appear below, are common to all of the embodiments of the invention herein specifically disclosed. Referring now specically to the first embodiment of the invention, shown in Figs. 2 to i l1, inclusive, the upper end of the shaft or trimnion carrying the metering roll 43 has a disk |0| i fixed rigidly to it to turn with the metering roll. A pin |03 fixed to this disk extends upwardly therefrom through a short arcuate slot |05 in a second disk |01 rotatably mounted on the upper end of the shaft or trunnion of the metering roll. A spring |00, connected at one end to the pin |03 and at the other end to the disk |01, tends constantly to turn the upper disk |01 in a clockwise -direction relatively to the `lower disk I I so far as shoulder for cooperation with the tooth ||3 ofA the disk. A third arm |23 is connected to a spring |25 which constantly tends to turn the pawl in a clockwise direction to throw the shoulder ||9 against the periphery of the disk |01 and to move the shoulder |2| away from the periphery of the disk. The above mentioned second arm of the pawl, in addition to the shoulder |2|, also is provided with a beveled surface |3| for cooperation with a beveled edge |33 (Figs. 2 and 5) on a member |35 fixed to the rod 15. When the release rod 15 is depressed, it. carries the member |35 downwardly with it, and the inclined edge |33 thereof acts as a cam on the second arm of the pawl, turning the pawl in a counterclockwise direction against the action of the spring |25.

When the parts are all in readiness for makingk an exposure (that is, with the shutter set or tensioned and with a fresh section of film in proper place in the exposure window 4|) the disk |01 and pawl are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, where the tooth on the disk is against the shoulder i9 on the pawl, preventing the disk from turning any farther. The lower disk |0| has been turned until the pin |03 thereon is at the clockwise end of the slot |05, as shown-in Fig. 6, and thus can turn no farther.

On the under surface of the loose disk |01 is a cam |4| (Figs. 6 and 7) which, when the disk is in the position shown in Fig. 6, overlies the upper end of a depressible plunger |43. This plunger is connected in any suitable manner, such as by a conventional flexible cable thrust device |45, to a latch member |41 (Figs. 2, 5, and 8) pivoted within the shutter casing at |49 and having a spring which constantly tends to throw a hokedend |53 of the latch member against the periphery of the master member 59, so that, when the master member is in rest or run-down position, this hooked end |53 may engage a shoulder |55 on the master member.

When the cam |4| on the loose disk |01 is positioned directly over the end of the plunger |43, as in Figs. 5, 6, and '7, then this plunger |43 is depressed and, through the flexible connection |45, the latch |41 is swung against the action of the spring |5| to withdraw the hook |53 from the path of the shoulder |55 on the mastermember, thus leaving the master member unlocked or free to be tensioned. But whenever the cam |I4| is in any other position, not directly over the plunger |43, then the spring |5| tends to shift the latch |41 into contact with the periphery ofthe master member 59, so that when the master member is in rest or untensioned position, the hook |53 will engage the shoulder |55 and lock the master member against tensioning or setting movement.

A shutter release lever l5| (Figs. 2, 5, 9, and 9)I is plvoted in the shutter casing at |53 and is provided with a spring |55 tending constantly to turn thisk lever in a clockwise direction so that its y shaped thatthe portion of the periphery which 1 lower left hand end projects to the maximum/extent through a slot |51 in the shutter casing 5|. The projecting end of the lever is provided with two inclined cam surfaces |59 and |1|. A notch |13 in the release lever A|5| receives one end of v l the latch lever 59.

The periphery ofthe master member 59 is so lies opposite the latch 59 when the master member is at rest or untensioned, is closer to the oscillatory axis of the master member (that is, the

center of the annular wall 5|) than'the portion of the master member which is opposite the latch when the master member is tensioned. In other words, the periphery of the master member may be described as being cut away or recessed at |15,

and it is this recessed portion thereof which lies opposite the end of the latch 59 when the master member is at rest as in Figs. y2 and 5. Because of this cut away or recessed shape ofthe master member 59, the latch 59can move farther ina counterclockwise direction when the master member is in untensioned rest position, than when the master member is tensioned. In the tensioned or set position of the master member, the latch 59 can move no farther in a counterclockwise direction than the position shown in Fig. 8, and this position of the latch holds the release lever |5| in the position shown in Fig. 8, where the cam surface |59 is withdrawn inside the shutter casing, and where the cam surface |1| is in alinement with the release member 8| to cooperate therewith when the release member is depressed. But when the master member is in its untensioned rest position, then the latch' 69 can swing farther in a counterclockwise direction, thusy allowing the re.

lease lever |5| to swing farther outwardly under the'influence of its spring |55, so that the cam surface |69, rather than the cam surface |1I, is

alined with the release plunger 3|, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. This cam surface |59 is sloped'in the opposite direction from the cam surface |1|. v

and if it is attempted to depress the release plunger 8| at this time, the plunger can be depressed only part way rather than all the way,

and such depression will not have the effect of moving the release member |5| to releasing position.

The above described parts of this embodiment of the invention operate as follows: Assuming that the film has been wound and the shutter has been set or tensioned ready for a new exposure, the parts will be in the position shown in Figs.

6 and 8. To make the exposure, the operator now depresses the plunger 15, which causes downward movement of the release plunger 8| which comes down onto the inclined cam surface |1| of the..

release lever |5|, and causes this release lever to swing inwardly (in a counterclockwisedirection about its pivot |53) from theposition shown in- Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 9. This inward motion of the release lever ISI swings the latch 59 in a clockwise direction about its pivotv 1|, releasing the nose of the latch from the shoulder 51 on the master member, as shown in Fig. 9, which allows the motor spring of the master member to move the master member in a counterclockwise direction back to its initial untensioned position, opening and closing the shutter blades 51 during such movement, to make an exposure.

.Simultaneously with the release of the latch 59, the downward motion of the plunger 15 also n causes the inclined cam edge |33 on the plunger to press -against the surface |3| of the pawl,

swinging the shoulder II 9 of the pawl away from the shoulder III of the loose disk |01 and bringing the shoulder |2| of the pawl into ythe path of the shoulder |I3 of the disk, as shown in Fig. 10. This allows the spring I 09 to turn the loose disk |01 a slight distance in a clockwise direction, until the tooth II3 hits against the shoulder |2|. The shoulder |2| is so placed, however, that it stops the disk |01 before the end of the slot |05 in the disk hits against the pin |03, and thus the motion of the loose disk |01 does not jar the other disk I 0| fixed to the metering roll 43, and does not cause any varying of the film during the exposure.

This slight motion of the loose disk |01 from the position of Fig. 6 to the position of Fig. 10 is suilicient to carry the cam I4I away from the plunger |43 so that the spring |5| may pull the locking pawl |41 against the periphery of the master member 59, as shown in Fig. 9, and when the master member reaches .its initial untensicned position at the end of the exposure, the hook or nose |53 on this locking pawl will snap over the shoulder |55 on the master member, locking the master member in its untensioned position as shown in Fig. 2.

The operator releases the pressure on. the plunger 15, so that the spring 19 causes this plunger to move upwardly again, and as the cam surface |33 moves upwardly, the spring |25 turns its pawl |23 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 3, which withdraws the shoulder I 2| from the tooth II3. At the completion of the exposure and when the plunger has moved upwardly again, the parts are now in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The tensioning of the master member 59 is now impossible because the master member is locked by the pawl |41. A full actuation of the release member 15 is also impossible, because the release lever ISI, now lying in' the position of Fig. 2, prevents full downward movement of the plunger 15 and thus the operator, attempting to depress theplunger, will notice that the plunger can move only. a slight distance rather than its normal distance downwardly and will be thereby notied that an exposure can not be made. The only operation possible at this time isfthe winding of the iilm, which is accomplished by grasping and turning the knob 31.

As this knob is turned, the film 39 is i'ed forwardly and causes the turning of the metering roller 43, which is now free to turn through approximately one full revolution. To prevent the tooth I I3 from catching on 'the shoulder I|9 as the metering roller is turned, the arm II1 of the control pawl has an extended end I8| and the periphery of the disk |01 is so shaped as to lie against this end in the manner shown in Fig. l1 and hold the shoulder IIB out of engage-l ment withthe periphery of the disk as the tooth I I3 goes by. But when the other tooth I I I comes around to the shoulder II9, the extension I8I on the pawl no longer holds the shoulder away from the tooth, and thus the shoulder I I3 engages the tooth III and stops the rotation of the disk |01 at the proper point. The other disk |0| and the roller 43 can turn a slight additional distance, until the pin |03 comes to the clockwise end of the slot |05, at which point rotation of the roller 43 and disk |0| is stopped. The lm has now been fed the proper distance to bring the next exposure area into the exposure window 4I, and no further feeding of the lm is possible because the parts are locked by the shoulder I I9 on the pawl. As the disk |01 comes around to its ilnal position with the tooth III in contact with the shoulder IIS, the cam I 4I on the disk at the same time comes into contact with the plunger I 43 and cams this plunger downwardly, which, through the flexible connection |45, swings the locking pawl |41 to remove its locking nose |53 from the shoulder |55 on the master member 59. This unlocks the master member so that it may be tensioned, but the film winding parts remain locked, and the release member 15 also remains locked against full actuation. The parts are now in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and no operation is possible except the tensioning of the shutter.

The operator then tensions the shutter by moving the setting member E3 to the right or in a clockwise direction, until the latch 69 engages the shoulder 61 on the master member, and holds the master member in its set or tensioned position. During the tensioning of the master member, the latch pawl 69, riding up out of the recess |15, has moved somewhat in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 8, and this draws the release lever IGI inwardly, against the action of its spring IE5, removing the cam surface |69 from the path of the release plunger 0I and placing the cam surface |1I in the path of the release plunger. At the conclusion of the setting operation, the parts are now in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 8, and no other action is possible` except a release of the shutter to make an exposure. 'I'he tensioning member 63 can not be further moved, and the film winding member 31 can not be further moved, but the release member '15 is now free to be depressed to make an exposure.

Thus it is seen that in the embodiment just described, the three different operations of winding the film, setting the shutter, and releasing the shutter to make an exposure, must always be performed in the sequence just named, the parts always being effectively locked against any other sequence of operation. Due to the interlocking mechanism, the camera is rendered practically foolproof" so far as operation of the shutter and the film winding is concerned. It is not possible to make a double exposure; also it is not possible to perform by accident two iilm winding operations after one exposure, thus wasting illm; and it is not possible to depress the release member fully and think that an exposure has been made, when in fact the shutter has not been tensioned.

An alternative embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to Figs. l2 to 19, inclusive. Inthis embodiment the iilm feeding control parts I 0| to I 35 may be of the same construction previously described with reference to the embodiment in Figs. 2 to 11, inclusive, and these parts bear the same respective reference numerals in Figs. l2 to 19 as in Figs. 2' to 11, so need not be further described. In this second embodiment, however, the cam I4| is omitted from the disk |01, and the plunger |43, flexible connection I'45, and locking pawl |41 are also omitted. Moreover, the spring 19 used in the previous] embodiment to tend to move the plunger 15 upwardly, is replaced in this second embodiment by a spring 20| which is so placed that it tends constantly to thrust the plunger 15 downwardly instr-ad of upwardly. However, this spring 20| weaker than the spring |26 acting on the pawl arm |29. so that whenever the pawl is free to turn to its maximum extent in a. clockwise direction, under the action of its spring |25, the cam surface |3| on the pawly responding in general to the parts |6|, |63, andy i |65 of the embodiment previously described. But in this second embodiment, instead of having two inclined cam surfaces such as |69 and |1|, the protruding end of the release lever 26| is provided with a locking notch 269 and with only one inclined cam surface, 21|, corresponding in general to the surface |1| of the previous embodiment.

` The spring 265 of the release lever 26| is made to have a stronger action on the release plunger system 8|, 15, through the inclined cam surface 21|, than the action of the spring 20| tending to move the plunger system downwardly. In other words, whenever the cam surface 21| is free to act on the plunger 8|, the spring 265 will overcome the force of the spring 20| and will move the plungers 8| and 15 upwardly notwithstanding the downward pressure of the spring 20|.

In this embodiment of the invention, the'masv ter member 59 is cut away or recessed at |15, just as in the previous embodiment, so that when the master member is in its untensloned rest position, the latch 69 is able to swing farther in a counterclockwise direction than when the master member is set or tensioned.

The parts, in this second embodiment of the invention, operate as follows: Assuming that an exposure has been made and that the film has been wound ready for the next exposure, but the shutter has not yet been tensioned, the parts will then be in the positions shown in' Figsl 12 and 13. Due to the presence of the recess |15 on the master member opposite the end of the latch 69, the release lever 26| can be swung by its spring 265 to its maximum outward position, in which the inclined cam surface 21| is not alined with the release plunger 8|, but on the contrary, the, locking notch 269 is alined with the release plunger. The release plunger cannot be fully depressed now, because an attempt to depress it will'simply cause it to move downwardly into the locking notch 269, and this notch is so shallow that the plunger can make only a partial downward movement, instead of being fully depressed, thus warning the operator that an exposure cannot be made. Further winding of the film isalso impossible, because at this time the tooth on the disk |01 lies against the shoulder |9 on the lm control pawl, preventing further movement of the winding mechanism in the same manner as in the embodiment previously described. 'I'he only operation now possible is the tensioning of the shutter, which is accomplished by moving the shutter tensioning. or setting member 63 in a rightward direction from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the position of Fig. 14.

When the master member is latching pawl snaps over the shoulder 61 of the master member, as shown in Fig. 14, and the that it holds .the release lever 26| somewhat inwardly (or counterclockwise) from the position shown in Fig. l2, withdrawing the locking notch 266 from the path of the plunger 8|, and placing the inclined cam surface 21| in the path of this plunger, all as indicated in Fig. 14.

A further tensioning of the shutter is, of course, impossible and further operation of the film winding or feeding mechanism is likewise impossible, so that the only operation which can now be performed is to depress the release plunger 15 to make an exposure. As the plunger 15 moves downwardly, the corresponding downward movement of the connected plunger 8| acts upon the inclined cam surface 21| and forces the release lever 26| inwardly as illustrated in Fig. 15, swinging the latch 69 to its release position out of the way of the shoulder 61', thus releasing the master member so that it may move back from its tensioned position to its untensioned rest position under the influence of its motor spring 65, opening and closing the shutter blades during such movement to make an exposure. At the same time that the latch 69 is being released by the downward movement of the plunger 15, the cam surface |33 on this plunger also acts upon the surface |3| of the film control pawl and moves'this pawl slightly in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 13 to the position of Fig. 16, withdrawing the shoulder ||9 from the tooth of the disk |01, and placing the shoulder |2| in the path of the tooth ||3 of the disk. As in the case of ,the previous embodiment, this allows a slight clockwise'movement of the disk |01 under the influence of its spring |09, but not sufficient movement to cause theend of the slot |05 tojhit the pin |03, so no jarring of the film results. So

- long as .the plunger 15 is held down by the little c1ockwise from the position of Fig. 12, so 75 15 and 8| upwardly until the upper end of the' cam surface is moved past the lower end of the ,plunger 8|. Then ,the plungers 15 and 8| will move downwardly under the influence of the spring 20|, bringing the plunger 8| down into the locking notch 269 of the release 1ever,.to the position shown in Fig. 17. Although the spring |25 is stronger than the spring 20|, as above stated, yet the spring |25 is not free .to act fully upon the plunger 15 at this time, for the nlm locking pawl can swing only partially in a clockwise direction to the 'position shown in Fig. 18. and cannot swing far enough to act on the cam |33 sufciently 4to raise the plunger 8| out of the locking notch 269.

An operation of the release plunger is now impossible, as the plunger 8| is already at the bottom ofthe notch 269 .and can move no further down, so if the operator attempts to depress .the plunger to make an exposi'e. he will notice that it will not move downwardly and thus his attention will be directed to the fact that the camera is not ready for another'exposure. Likewise, tensioning the shutter is impossible at this time, because the presence of the plunger 8| in the locking notch 269 prevents the release lever 20| from moving inwardly toward the center of the shutter, and since the release lever cannot move inwardly, the latching pawl 69 cannot swing in a clockwise direction about its pivot 1 I, and the presence of the end of the latching pawl 69 in the recess |15 of the master member prevents the master member from being turned' in a clockwise or tensioning direction.

Hence the only operation now possible is a film winding operation, which is accomplished as before by grasping the knob 31 and turning it. The movement of the lm causes rotation of the metering roll 43, which as before carries the disk |01 around approximately one full revolution until further rotation is stopped by engagement of the tooth with the shoulder of the control pawl. The disk |01 is shaped to cooperate with an extension |0| on the control pawl as shown in Fig. 19, to prevent the shoulder ||0 on the pawl from engaging the tooth ||3 on .the disk, just as in the case of the previously described embodiment.

At the completion of the Winding operation, the disk |01 and the control pawl assume the positions shown in Fig. 13, and the pin |03 comes to rest against the clockwise end of the slot |05, preventing further'rotation of the film winding member. The control pawl is now swung to its maximum clockwise position, under the influence of its spring |25, and since this spring, as above stated, is stronger than the spring 20|, it acts upon the cam surface |33 to raise the plunger 15 against the action of the spring 20|, to the fully raised position shown in Fig. 12.

'I'he parts are now ready for tensioning the shutter, which is the only operation now possible. The shutter is then tensioned, .which makes the parts ready for the releasingaction to take an exposure, as above set forth.

It is seen that in this second embodiment of the invention, the release mechanism (that is,

plungers 15 and 8|) serves to control the locking of the shutter setting operation from the film winding parts, and it is not necessary, with this construction, to employ a separate lock controlling member such as the flexible cable of the embodiment previously described.

In this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the operations of winding the film, setting the' shutter, and releasing the shutter for exposure, must always take place in the sequence just named, and no other sequence of operation is possible, so that the operator is never left in doubt as to whether one or another of the necessary operations has been accidentally omitted. Likewise a second accidental winding of the film is prevented.

A third embodiment of the invention will now be described, referring to Figs. 20 to 24 of the drawings. In this third embodiment, as in the case of the two embodiments previously described, it is necessary to operate the shutter tensioning and release members and the film winding member in a predetermined sequence,

Vbut the sequence in this third embodiment is somewhat different from the sequence in the first and second embodiments. In the third embodiment, the nlm winding member cannot be operated until after the shutter has been tensioned. For this alternative sequence of operation, the interlocking action from the shutter to the winding mechanism may be transmitted either through a separate transmission device as in the case of the first embodiment described,

the case of the second `embodiment described. It is believed suilicient to disclose `an embodiment in which the locking is effected through the mediumof the shutter release mechanism, for when this embodiment is understood, it is believed that it will be obvious, in view of the first embodiment described, how a separate transmission member could be employed if desired.

In the third embodiment (Figs. 2O to 24) the metering roll 43 is provided, as before, with a disk |0| fixed to it to turn therewith, but the loose disk |01 previously employed is here replaced by two disks 301 and 308 fixed rigidly to.

each other but both free to turn slightly relatively to the disk |0|. As before, the disk |0| carries a pin |03 extending through a slot 305 in the disks 301 and 308, and connected to, a spring |09 the same as before.

'I'he disk 301 carries a tooth 3|| corresponding in general to the tooth previously described, and the upper disk 308 is provided with a notch or recess 3|3. The pawl 3I4, pivoted at 3|5, has a hook or nose 3|! in the plane of the disk 301 for cooperation with the tooth 3| and has an end 32| in the plane of the disk 300 for coopera tion with the notch 3|3. As before, the pawl includes an arm 323 corresponding to the previous arm |23, and connected to a spring 325 to tend to turn the pawl in a clockwise direction.

As before, the release plunger 15 carries a cam member 335 corresponding in general to the previous cam member |35. But this cam member, instead of having only a single cam surface |33, is here provided with two'cam surfaces 333 and 334, the first sloping in the same direction as the previous cam surface |33, and the other sloping in the opposite direction, as best shown in Fig. 22. As the plunger 15 moves downwardly, the cam surface 333 pushes against the beveled surface 33| on one arm of the pawl 3|4 to turn this pawl in a counterclockwise direction against the force of the spring 325, but just before the plunger 15 and cam member 335 reach the downward limit of their travel, the inclined cam surface 333 passes beyond the lever 3|4 and the oppositely inclined cam surface 334 comes opposite the cooperating edge of the lever. The

' force of the spring 325 causing the pawl 3|4 to or through the shutter release mechanism as in The phmger 1s 1s provided with a spring :nl

which, like the spring 20| in the second embodiment described, tends to move the plunger downwardly at all times. In the lowermost position of the plunger, the head or button 11 lies at least partially within al recess 302 formed in the top of the camera casing 3| so that the member 11 cannot be grasped and accidentally pulled upwardly when it should remain in its lowermost position.

In this embodiment the master member 59 is provided, as before, with a tooth or shoulder 51 cooperating with a latch 03, but the master member is not cut away or recessed at a point which is opposite the latch when the master .member is in its untensioned rest position. On vthe contrai-y, the master member is so shaped, at 315, that when it is in its untensioned rest position, the latch 09 is heldas shown in Fig. 20, in a position somewhat clockwise from the tensioned and latched position shown in Fig. 22.

The shutter release lever 38|, corresponding in general .to the release lever |6| previously described, is pivoted in the casing at 363 and is provided with a strong spring 365 tending to turn the lever in a clockwise direction and'move the lower end thereof outwardly. The release lever is provided with aninclined cam surface 31| for cooperation with the lower end of the release plunger 8| which, as before, is operatively connected to the plunger 15.

The action of these parts is as follows:

Assuming that an exposure has just been made, the parts come to rest in the positions shown in` Figs. 20 and 2l. The latch 69 cannot move farther in a counterclockwise direction for it is already 1n contact with the periphery of the master member, and consequently the latch does not allow the release lever 36| to move farther outwardly, so the release member cannot raise the plunger 8|. -Consequently the plungers 15 and 8| remain in their lowermost position, due not only to the downward thrust of the spring 30|, but also to the effect of the spring 325 and pawl 3H upon the inclined cam surface 33|. Since the release member 15 is already in its lower-most position, it cannot be actuated atvthis time and if theI operator attempts to make another ex posure by pressing on the release member, his attention is immediately directed to the fact that an exposure is impossible. The winding of the film at this time is also impossible because the end 32| of the pawl 3|4 lies in the notch 3|3 of the disk 308. Consequently the only operation possible at this time is the tensioning of the shutter, which is done as before by moving the tensioning or setting member 63 in a rightward direction to swing the master member 59 in a clockwise direction until the shoulder 61 engages the latch When the end of the latch 69 snaps over the shoulder 61 of the master member, the latch 69 moves somewhat in a, counterclockwlse direction, which allows the spring 365 to move the release lever 36| outwardly or in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 20 to the position of Fig. 22. This outward movement` of the release lever thrusts the inclined cam surface 31| turn, lthe arm 32| into contact with the periphery of the disk. Thus if the operator attempts to depress the plunger 15, he will discover that it will not move downwardly through its normal extent, but can be` depressed only to a slight extent, and thus he will be notified that the parts are not ready for an exposure. v

Since the shutter is now tensioned and cannot be again tensioned, the only operation now possible is a film winding operation. As before, this .is accomplished by turning the winding knob 31,

which causes the metering roll 43 to turn and with itturn the disks 301 and 308 until the tooth 3| comes around to-and is stopped by the shoulder 3|9 on the pawl 3H. Shortly thereafter, the pin |03 comes into contact with the clockwise end of the recess 305, stopping further rotation of the metering roll 43, and feeding of the film must cease, the parts now being in the position shown in Fig. 24. The notch 3|3 is once more opposite the end 32| of the pawl, and the camera is now ready for taking an exposure.

As the plunger 15 is depressed in making the exposure, the connected plunger 8| presses against the inclined cam surface 31| of the .release lever 36|, and moves this lever inwardly, turning the latch 69 in a' clockwise direction to release the shoulder 61 on the master member, so that the master member moves back in a counterclockwise'direction to its initial rest position, opening and closing the shutter blades. At the same time, the downward movement of the plunger 15 and its connected cam member 335 produces, through the came surface 333, a counterclockwise turning of the control pawl 3|4, removing the shoulder 3|9 from the tooth 3| and placing the portion 32| in the notch 3|3, so that thereof against the bottom of the plunger 8| and forces this plunger upwardly against .the action of the springs 30| and 325, since the spring 365 is made strong enough to overcome the combined effort of the springs 30| and 325. Early in its upward movement, the inclined cam surface 334 passes upwardly beyond the cooperating arm of the pawl 3 4 and from that point onwardly theA pressure of the pawl 3H, caused by the spring 325, reacts against the inclined Vsurface 333 rather than the surface 334 and helps rather than hinders the upward motion of the plunger As the plunger 15 reaches the upper limit of its motion, the pawl 3H is permitted to swing clockwise under the influence of its' spring 325. withdrawing the arm 32| from the notch 3|3 in the disk 308. As soon as the arm 32| is thus counterclockwise movement of the pawl 3M will 75 the spring |09 produces a slight clockwise turning of the disks 301 and 308 until the end of the notch 3|3 comes against the arm 32|. As before, the parts are so designed that at this time the end of the slot 305 will not come against the pin |03 and will not cause jarring of the film. After Athus moving in a counterclockwise direction while it is being acted uponA by the cam surface 333, the pawl 3|4 moves back slightly in a clockwise direction when the-cam surface 334 cornes into cooperation with the pawl, but this slight clockwise movement is not sufficient to withdraw the pawlfrom the notch 3|3, and the parts now remain in the positions shown in Figs. 20 and 2l, with all operations locked or preventedv except the setting or tensioning of the shutter, which is now possible.

While certain embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is therefore not to be p able to make an exposure, characterized by the provision of interlocking means cooperating with said two members for preventing operation of one of them, following the making of an exposure, until the other has first been operated, and locking means controlled by that one of said members which is second to be operated, for locking said release means aga-inst full operation until said second operated member has been operated.

2. In a photographic camera of the type including a film winding member, a separate shutter setting member for setting the shutter by an operation separate and distinct from and nonsimultaneous with that by which the film is wound, and shutter release means operable to make an exposure, the combination of mechanism controlled by one of said members for locking the other of said members against operation until said one of said members has first been operated, and mechanism controlled by said other member for locking said release means against full operation until said other member has been operated to complete the conditioning of said camera ready for making an exposure.

3. In a photographic camera of the type including film holding parts, a shutter, two separate manually operable conditioning members separately operable by separate non-simultaneous manual actuation, and a shutter release member, one of said conditioning members serving to advance film, one of said conditioning members serving to tension said shutter ready for an exposure, the combination of mechanism rendered effective by the making of an exposure for locking said release member and one of said conditioning members against full operation, mechanism actuated by operation of the other conditioning member for unlocking said one of said conditioning members While maintaining said release member locked against full operation, and mechanism actuated by operation of said one of said conditioning members for unlocking said release member.

4. A construction as described in claim 3,

further including a rotatable toothed disk turning with the advancing film, and a pawl cooperating with said disk and with said release member for limiting the extent of turning thereof at each operating cycle.

5. A construction as described in claim 3, further including a rotatable toothed disk turning with the advancing film, and a pawl cooperating with said disk and with said release member for limiting the extent oi turning thereof at each operating cycle, in which said release member includes an oblique cam edge cooperating with said pawl. l

6. A construction as described in claim l, further including a film metering roller, driven from the film winding or advancing member by the movement of the film or otherwise, a first disk fixed to said roller to turn therewith, a second disk spring-coupled to said first disk to tend to turn therewith but having limited play relative to the first disk, a tooth on said second disk, a pivoted pawl cooperating with said tooth, and a cam associated with said shutter release means lease lever to make an exposure, and interlocking means cooperating with said metering member and said tensioning member to prevent operation of one of said members until the other has first been operated and cooperating with the second operated member and with said release means to prevent full operation of said release means until the second operated member has been operated.

8. In a photographic camera of the type including a main casing, nlm holding parts within said casing, a film feeding part, a rotatable film metering member turned by operation of said feeding part, and a shutter including a shutter tensioning member and a pivotally mounted shutter release lever, saidtensioning member being operable as a separate act distinct from operation of said film feeding part, the combination of release means mounted at least partly on said main casing for operating said shutter release lever to make an exposure, a tooth associated with and turning with said metering member, a pawl cooperating with said tooth to stop rotation of said metering member at the end of a predetermined film feeding cycle, a cam operatively connected to said release means to retract said pawl from said tooth when. said release means is operated, and interlocking means cooperating with said metering member and said tensioning member to prevent operation of one of said members until the other has first been operated and cooperating with said release means to prevent full operation of said release means until the second operated member has been operated.

9. In a photographic camera of the type including a main casing, film holding parts Within said casing, a film feeding part, a rotatable film metering member turned by Ioperation of said feeding part,l and a shutter including a shutter tensioning member and a pivotally mounted shutter release lever having one position when the shutter is tensioned and a different position when the shutter is at rest in a run-down condition, said tensioning member being operable as a separate act distinct from operation of said film feeding part, the combination of release means mounted at least partly on said main casing for operating said shutter release lever to make an exposure, and interlocking means cooperating with said metering member and said tensioning member to prevent operation of one of said members during an operating cycle until the other has first been operated and cooperating with said release means to prevent full operation of said release means during said cycle until the second operated member has been operated, said interlocking means being dependent in part upon the position of said release lever.

10. In a photographic camera of the type including film holding parts, a shutter of the set and cooperating with said pawl to cause said pawl type having a trip lever occupying one position when the shutter is set for making an exposure and occupying a different position when the shutter is at rest at the completion of an exposure, a shutter release member for operating said trip lever to make an exposure, and two manually and separately operable conditioning members, one serving to advance film and one serving to set said shutter ready for an exposure, the combination of mechanism rendered effective by the making of an exposure and controlled at least in part by the position of said trip lever for locking said release member and one of said conditioning members against full operation, mechanism actuated by operation of the other conditioning member for unlocking said one of asoaess said conditioning members while maintaining said release member locked against full operation, and mechanism actuated by operation of said one of said conditioning members for unlocking said Vrelease member.

l1. A photographic camera including a camera body having thereon a manually operable member for winding nlm, a shutter having thereon a manually operable member movable from a rundown position to a tensioned'position for tensioning the shutter as aseparate act from winding the nlm, said shutter also having a shutter trip member movable from a rest position to an actuated position to release the tensioned shutter to make an exposure, said trip member occupying a different position when said shutter is rundown after the completion of an exposure from the rest position it occupies when said shutter is tensioned, a release plunger mounted on said camera body and depressible, when nlm has been wound and said shutter has been tensioned, to

. move said trip member from rest position to actuated position to make an exposure, means controlled by the position of said trip member after completion oi.' an exposure for preventing en'ective actuation of said release plunger when said shutter is run down, and interlocking means preventing operation of a predetermined one of said two manually operable members until the other has nrst been operated after completion of an exposure.

12. A photographic camera including a camera body having thereon a manually operable member for winding nlm, a shutter having thereon a manually operable member movable from a rundown position to a tensioned position for tensioning the shutter as a separate act from winding the nlm, said shutter also having a shutter trip member movable from a rest position to an actuated position to release the tensioned shutter to make an exposure. said trip member occupyis tensioned, a release plunger mounted on said camera body and depressible, when nlm has been wound and said shutter has been tensioned, to move said trip member from rest position to actuated position to make an exposure, means controlled by the position of said trip member after completion of an exposure for preventing eilective actuation of said release plunger when saidshutter is run down, and interlocking means preventing operation of said manually operable shutter tensioning member until said manually operable nlm winding memberhas nrst been operated after completion of an exposure.

13. A photographic camera including a camera body having thereon a manually operable member for winding nlm, a shutter having thereon a manually operable member movable from a rundown position to a tensioned position for tensioning the shutter as a separate act from winding the nlm, said shutter also having a shutter tr-ip member movable from a rest position to an actuated position to release the tensioned shutter to make an exposure, said trip member occupying a different position when said shutter is run-down after the completion of an exposure from the rest position it occupies when said shutter is tensioned, a release plunger mounted on said camera body and depressible, when nlm has been wound and said shutter has been tensioned, to move said trip member from rest position to actuated position to make an exposure, means controlled by the position of said trip member after completion oi' an exposure for preventing eiective actuation o! said release plunger when said shutter is run down. and interlocking means acting jointly through said release plunger and said trip member for preventing operation of said manually operable shutter tensioning member until said manually operable nlm windin member has nrst been operated after completion oi' an exposure.

LUDWIG G. RANFI'. mANz s'rmma. 

